Himarimã language
Arawan language of Brazil
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Himarimã is the language of the uncontacted Hi-Merimã people in Amazonas, Brazil. A contact may have happened in 2007.[2] A wordlist was recorded, but was later lost.[3] The language is believed to be Arawán per testimonies from the Suruwahá and Banawá.[4][5]
NativetoBrazil
RegionTapauá River valley
EthnicityHi-Merimã people
Native speakers
(undated figure of 40)[1]| Himarimã | |
|---|---|
| Hi-Merima | |
| Native to | Brazil |
| Region | Tapauá River valley |
| Ethnicity | Hi-Merimã people |
Native speakers | (undated figure of 40)[1] |
Arawan
| |
| Language codes | |
| ISO 639-3 | hir |
| Glottolog | hima1247 |
| ELP | Himarimã |
History
A group of ten Marimã were illegally contacted in 1986 by missionaries; all the adults died and five of the children were adopted by non-Indigenous families. The only child alive as of 2024, named Atxu Marimã,[6][7][8] had provided a list of 105 words to Adolpho Killian, an employee of the Fundação Nacional dos Povos Indígenas (FUNAI) when he was around eight years old and could still speak the language.[9][10]